Making Tech Training and Development Part of Your Culture

Author: John Bemis

Making Tech Training and Development Part of Your Culture

How is your organization working to overcome the IT talent shortage? For those looking to hire, two of the most straightforward routes to recruiting strong employees are hiring for potential and creating a culture that attracts top tech professionals. If you’re looking to do either (or both!), incorporating tech training and development into your culture is the place to start. Here’s how a focus on internal training can help you build a company culture that will attract the best candidates and retain your top employees.

The Growing Demand for IT Development Opportunities

Many companies only consider compensation and benefits when determining what employees and prospects want. However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg – company culture and career development opportunities can have a massive impact on the quality of talent your organization attracts. Today’s jobseekers often look for opportunities where they can learn more, gain more experience in specific skill sets, develop new skill sets, and get exposed to different technologies. According to a recent Gallup poll, a staggering 87% of Millennials said that professional development is important in a job. In addition, those looking for learning opportunities with their employers tend to be better performers. Gallup also assessed the quality of the talent pool, finding high-quality candidates more likely to be attracted to positions and companies that offer opportunities for growth.

Not only will offering professional development help entice in-demand tech talent to favor your open positions, it can also boost retention. Employees who are satisfied with the career development programs provided by their employer are more likely to remain there long-term. Offering tech training and development opportunities thus allows your organization to more easily hire and retain top IT professionals. It is therefore critical to fully ingrain these opportunities into your company’s culture.

How to Integrate Tech Training into Your Culture

Once you have established that training and development are of value to your organization, it is time to integrate them into your everyday life and culture. As the leadership sets the tone of the office, ensure that both your executive team and your frontline managers are involved in the opportunities you offer. This can range from allowing extra days off (for developmental purposes such as seminars and conferences) to establishing mentoring programs within and across departments.

Once you’ve set a precedent that training is the office norm, all you need to do is provide the opportunities. Offer employees memberships to industry-relevant organizations and encourage participation. Consider tuition reimbursement for external courses or programs, or sponsor instructor-led sessions in the office. When individuals go to offsite events, encourage them to share their experiences and insights at department or company meetings. Establish a monthly or quarterly “Lunch and Learn” program that features internal and external speakers who can provide insight into a particular topic or skill. Great employees will thrive in a learning-based culture, and you will be able to nurture them along their paths for career growth, building loyalty and retaining your best talent.

Making Tech Training and Development Part of Your Culture

Incorporating tech training and development into your workplace culture can be a huge differentiator in the marketplace. Jobseekers crave these opportunities, and in order to effectively hire the talent you need, it’s critical to offer candidates what they want and train those with high potential.